Quote from elizabeth.jones on February 5, 2026, 3:33 PM

You won't find a neat "Warlock" checkbox in Diablo IV, but you can still play that vibe if you treat Necromancer like a toolkit instead of a job title, and a lot of folks start by sorting out basics like Diablo 4 Gold so their gearing doesn't lag behind their idea of the build.

1) Shadow DoT Warlock

This is the version that just clicks once you've tried it. You tag a pack, set the rot rolling, and you keep moving while the screen quietly empties out. Blight does the heavy lifting, then Shadow Corpse Explosion turns every fallen body into more pressure, and Decrepify keeps the whole mess under control. The big win is freedom: you're not stuck channeling in one spot, and you're not forced to trade hits. In Nightmare Dungeons that matters more than people admit. Gear-wise, you feel the build come alive with Shadow damage bonuses and cooldown reduction, because you want that steady rhythm where the next cast is always ready before things get awkward.

2) Minion Curse Warlock

If you like playing from a step back, this one's comfy. Your Skeletons do the arguing up front, you hang back and keep the curse pressure on with Iron Maiden, and you're basically playing traffic control while your army chews through rooms. It's safer than it looks, too, because enemies waste time hitting minions instead of you. The catch shows up on bosses and nasty elite affixes: minions can get erased by chunky AoE, and then your damage dips hard for a moment. You'll want minion life and some steady Essence help so you're not standing there dry, waiting for bodies to pile up again.

3) Blood Drain Warlock

Some players swear a Warlock should feel a bit reckless, and this is where that energy lives. You're closer than a typical caster, you're trading space, and you're leaning on Blood Lance and Blood Mist to stay upright when things get messy. When it's one target, especially a boss, the sustain can feel unfair in your favour if you build into maximum life and Overpower. The downside is speed: trash packs don't pop the way they do with Shadow DoT, so you have to accept a slower, heavier pace and play like you mean it.

Pick One Lane, Then Gear Like You Mean It

People often try to blend shadows, blood, and minions into one "everything" setup, and it usually turns into a muddle where nothing scales cleanly. You'll get more wins by committing to one lane, then pushing the stats that lane wants, even if it feels a bit boring on paper. That's also where a lot of players make their time easier by grabbing missing upgrades, consumables, or tradeable gear through eznpc so they can stay focused on the build's loop instead of stalling out mid-progression.